American Dragon: Jake Long - The New Age of Fire
by coldto
Summary: Everything burns around me, and I lose more and more everyday. It's my duty as the American Dragon to protect them, but I just can't do it. The people I care about most are taken from me, and I have only one option. Time is running out, but there's still hope. I can't save the world anymore, but I have to make sure he can. My one and only son must live.
1. Chapter 1: Escaping

She kept running, if she stopped, her life would be ended. She would die and this whole thing would be pointless. Looking back was a bad idea, but Rose did it anyway.

They were no more than a few hundred yards away. Even without looking, Rose could hear their shouts as they grew closer. Occasionally, she could even make out their speech.

"Over here!"

"I see her!"

Rose had to keep moving, but her legs were growing weary from running such a long distance. She reminded herself that they too, had been running the same distance, surely they must be tired.

Then Rose remembered they weren't carrying an infant while running through the woods. She was unable to use her arms as she held the baby wrapped in cloth.

Rose's legs were becoming heavy. If she didn't stop soon, she would collapse.

The black night made the ground seem invisible. At any moment, she could slip and fall on a surfaced root, or even a small rock. The thought of being captured was unbareable, so Rose kept going. These woods seemed endless though, and Rose wondered if she would ever escape.

Was she going in circles?

It didn't matter, they were getting closer.

Rose heard more conversation from her pursuers.

"Aim for the legs! I want her alive!" this voice was more assertive than the others. That must be the man in charge, Rose thought.

Gunshots began sounding from behind her. The bullets whizzed by and hit the surrounding trees. The bark exploded as the bullets pierced the tree's skin. Rose began to panic as one of the bullets nearly missed her. It didn't matter where they shot her. Even if she lived, the outcome would be the same. She tried wrapping herself around the child to defend him from the incoming projectiles. More and more bullets streamed by until one finally found its mark.

Rose screamed as she fell to the ground.

Rose's body would not allow her to stand. She tried again and again, but everytime ended the same. She fell down onto the moist ground of the forest floor. The pain was immense and Rose could hardly stay conscious. She looked at her left leg. Blood was pouring out of it uncontrollably. Its dark red color flowed down like an endless river.

The child was crying, he was still swadled in cloth and had fallen just a few inches away from his mother. Rose looked over her shoulder once more. She could see the flashlights. Thoughts raced into Roses' mind. Her head spun with different possible scenarios.

She could grab her son and try to hide, but what good would that do? They would find them both.

She could hide the child and allow herself to be captured. No, he would cry and give himself away. More and more options raced into her mind, but they all ended with defeat.

It was already too late though, they were here. Groups of men swarmed around her, each holding a rifle in their hand. They pointed their weapons at Rose and said nothing. Each man was dressed in a green uniform. Rose knew that uniform, and it brought a horrible chill down her spine. The masks concealed their faces, which was even more daunting. A man dressed simularly to the others stepped forward. His face was not concealed, and he wore a long green cape.

This must be the leader who ordered me to be shot, Rose concluded. His expression was dark, yet indifferent. He had black hair with a crooked nose. He also had a red scare running from the top of his left cheek down past his shirt. The man stood tall with authority and had one hand behind his back.

"Trying to escape, are we?" the man's voice was cool and malevant. Then he saw the leg of Rose, where the bullet had landed.

"Hm" he grunted "I think not." He stepped forward towards Rose, who was still sprawled upon the ground.

"Did you honestly think you could outrun us? Hide from us? Well, I suppose it doesn't matter anymore, does it? I caught my prey." the man grinned with a sense of sick satisfaction.

"Now, hand over that thing, to me." He pointed towards Rose's child, who was still crying. Rose quickly grabbed him, and held him close. She wouldn't let go, not for anything in the world.

"Such stupidity. Fine then, have it your way." the man with the cape said. He drew a small pistol from under his belt and pointed it at Roses' head.

"I'm giving you one last chance. You're human, one of us, and I don't want to kill you. Just hand him over and you can be on your way."

Rose shook her head. Holding tightly to her child.

"No? Well then, the Huntsclan shall rise once more regardless. Farewell, traitor."

The blast of fire came so quick that even Rose was startled. The trees behind the caped man burst into flames. Some of them even fell over. The armed men became confused as their attention diverted to the flames. Their eyes widened, and Rose understood why.

He was here.

"Form a circle! Weapons at the ready! Shoot anything that moves!" the man barked at his followers. They obeyed and formed a circle around their master. Rose took this opportunity to crawl away.

A large figure moved behind the trees. The armed men shot their guns at the shadow. All of them seemed to miss as the figure moved around them, staying just out of sight.

Rose crawled even further away, still clutching her child. The leader saw this and moved out of the circle to deal with her.

"I don't know how you did this, but I'm going to end it right now!"

The man pointed his gun once more at Rose, except this time he intended to fire right away. Rose closed her eyes and prepared for death. She thought about the future of her son as she heard the gunshot echo through the forest.

Rose paused with her eyes closed.

The man shot her, didn't he?

Am I dead? Should I open my eyes? Rose asked herself.

Eventually, she gave into her curiosity, and opened her eyes. To her surprise, she was very much alive. Rose looked up towards the direction of the man who just shot. Instead of finding him, she saw a giant red creature, a dragon, in between her and the enemy. The dragon stared into her eyes, his giant wings, wrapped around them both, shielding them. Before Rose could say anything, the dragon grabbed Rose and her child...their child, with his tail and flew into in the night with one swift motion. They flew further and further away until the burning forest, and the men, are no longer visible.

Rose looked at her dragon husband. It'd been a long time since Rose and Jake were young, but Rose could still remember when she rode on his back on those warm summer nights.

Now things were different. Rose was holding their child, with a bullet lodged in her leg. She'd just barely managed to avoid death. If it wasn't for Jake's unexpected arrival, their son would only have one parent, or maybe, he wouldn't be alive at all.

Rose now studied her husband in greater detail. Jake's dragon body was much larger, and stronger then when they were teenagers. His giants wings flapped in graceful sweeps through the air. On his right wing, Rose could see where the bullet meant for her had hit. Although Jake's thick hide had protected him, he was still bleeding.

Their plan failed. They'd been discovered. It was a bad idea to move their son through the forest. Jake couldn't help wonder how these men knew their plans, but it didn't matter, there more pressing things at hand.

"Are you alright?" Jake asked, knowing very well she wasn't.

Rose noticed he sounded both angry and scared at the same time. Then she reminded herself, he almost saw his wife die. If their situation had been reversed, Rose would feel the same way.

"Th-...they knew...about him...and his..." Rose was quickly loosing consciousness. Although Jake had taken the bullet for her, she had still been shot in the leg. She was beginning to suffer from blood loss. If she didn't get help soon, she would die.

Jake had to hurry.

**I will try to update whenever I can! Please let me know what you think! I know it's not the best, but I'm always looking for some good feedback! Suggestions are also welcome! Thanks! :D**

**For those of you who follow, I appreciate it more than you know! Please bare with me as I update to improve some lines and other minor details. New chapters will likely be posted on the weekends.**


	2. Chapter 2: Blood Rose

Jake burst into his grandfather's shop with incredible haste. He'd already changed back to human form, and was carrying Rose's unconscious body as her arms were wrapped around their son. Even though she wasn't conscious, Rose would never let her son go.

Spud was sitting behind a desk, reading some sort of magical newspaper. When the door opened, he glanced up and saw Jake with his seemingly dead wife. Before Spud could ask just what the hell happened, Jake spoke.

"Get Trixie, now!" he barked.

Spud jumped from his seat without question and ran to the back of the shop. Just as Spud left, Fu Dog came in. He was about to say "Hey, Kid" but when he saw Rose, his face was immediately drained of all positive emotion. "What happened kid? What creature attacked you? I've got plenty of magical cures in the back!"  
>Jake violently shook his head and explained. "Fu, it's not a magical wound. She's been shot, by human weapons."<p>

"By who?! Who shot her?" Fu Dog was utterly shocked at this point. Of all the creatures trying to kill the pair, Fu Dog didn't put humans at the top of the list.

"The Huntsclan, they're back Fu. I don't know how, but I saw them myself. They attacked while we were traveling here. Somehow, they knew who we were and what we were doing. I tried to distract them, but they found Rose, and shot her."

"Are you sure it was them? Not just some thugs in the woods?"

"Fu, they even _said_ they were Huntsclan."

Fu Dog shuttered at the thought of this, but before they could continue their conversation, Trixie and Spud both rushed to the front of the shop. Trixie took one look at Rose and gasped. Her wound was still ozzing fresh blood. It fell onto the shop carpet, leaving a dark red mark, like the color of a rose.

"Trixie, Rose was shot, this isn't anything magic related, can you help her?" Jake's face was full of terror. He was scared he might lose his wife, and Trixie was his only hope. After the gang had graduated high school, Trixie went to college and became a doctor. Although once the magical war began, she quit her job and stayed at the shop to help Jake and the others.

Trixie had changed through the years. She wore her hair down now, and it just brushed her shoulders, and she wore plain, solid colored tee-shirts. Her years in medical school taught her how to be a professional, and it showed in eyes, and her facial expressions. She wasn't the same kid Jake had spent hours at the skate park with, she was Trixie Carter, a medical expert.

"Yeah Jakie, bring her to the back, and set her on the table. It's been awhile, but I think can help her." Trixie said. She'd lost her heavy urban slang accent through the years. Most professional hospitals wouldn't want it, so she had to change it.

Jake didn't waste a second. He took Rose to the back and placed her on the table, like Trixie said. Then he picked up their son, and kissed Rose on the forehead. "I love you, be strong, my Rose." Jake whispered.

"Jakie, I'm going to need you to leave the room. I'll work much better without you getting in the way." Trixie said, with a sympathetic tone. Jake nodded his head and left. "Spud! Get in here, I need you!" she shouted.

**AN: This chapter is considerably shorter than the other one, I know. I might do a few of these smaller ones before I do another larger one, or maybe shorter chapters more often is better? Let me know! Thanks! :D**


	3. Chapter 3: Visits

**A/N - I'm really sorry if this chapter pushes too much info in! I actually wrote the 4th chapter before the 3rd, so this ended up being a gap filler. This chapter mainly covers the start of the war, if there's anything that's confusing, or that I forgot to explain, just let me know! The next chapter will be much more interesting.**

"Hey grandpa, I need some advice. I don't know what to do. Everyday more and more magical creatures die, and it's all my fault. They're looking to me to win this war, but I just can't do it, Pandarus is too powerful. Should I just give up? What if Pandarus kills my family? I've got to think about them too. I'm just so lost right now, and I could really use your guidance." Jake said, while on his knees, his head was bowed in a traditional sign of respect.

The dragon looked up at the photo of his grandfather. On either side of it, there were two small candles. Their light flickered as they illuminated the photo of Jake's old dragon master. On a note below the picture, there read a message: _In memory of Luong Lao Shi. May he rest in peace. _Jake remained on his knees for a few minutes, hoping for a response that could never come. After the reality of this sunk in, the dragon allowed himself to cry. The tears rolled down without end.

It'd been just over a year since the death of Lao Shi, and Jake still hadn't fully recovered. He still remembered his years of training with the old man. Although he'd always hated training, Jake would give anything to have just one more day of it.

Shortly after Lao Shi's death, the magical war began between the evil wizard Eli Pandarus, and the Dragon Clan. Normally, dragons would have no trouble dealing with one evil wizard and his army of magical creatures, but things weren't exactly normal at the start of the war.

Jake Long had proposed to Rose at age twenty, two years ago. She, of course, accepted with no hesitation, but looking back, Jack wished they'd never married, and for good reason. Immediately after their engagement, uproar began sprouting all across the magical world. Questions starting surfacing, asking why a Magical Protector had married someone who's whole life was dedicated to killing magical creatures, even though Rose had given up that life (especially since she defeated the Huntsclan). The man behind these outrages was Eli Pandarus. The evil wizard was the first to cry foul at the news of the engagement. Since then, many began distrusting the American Dragon. Despite these distrusts, no one took any real action, except one person.

An emergency meeting had been called by the Dragon Council to discuss Eli Pandarus' true intentions, and the actions the Council should take. All adult dragons were required to attend (minus Jake, who was excluded for fear of bias). The meeting began with a traditional Dragon Tea, used to clear the mind of injustice. As the meeting progressed, the unspeakable happened. The dragons discovered that their drinks had been poisoned, but by then it was too late. In a matter of minutes, all but a handful of the world's dragons were murdered. Those who survived included Jake, Haley, and various dragons still under the age of eighteen.

Immediately after the deaths of almost all dragons, anarchy swept the magical world. Creatures demanded to know who was responsible, and Pandarus was waiting with an answer. He blamed Jake Long, claiming the other dragons knew about his 'schemes' to betray the magical community, along with Rose. He also claimed that the remaining dragons had been saved by Jake because they served him.

Jake knew that Pandarus was the one who really poisoned the dragons, but other creatures had a hard time finding this true. Pandarus gained followers from all corners of the world, from a variety of species. Jake tried desperately to restore order to the magical world, and clear his name of killing the dragons. Some did believe him, some didn't.

Though Pandarus gained many followers, other species rushed to defend the American Dragon. It wasn't long before the stage was set for all out war, and it came soon enough.

"Hey Jake, I just wanted to let you know that- Oh, is this a bad time?" Spud said, as he walked into the room. He'd noticed Jake in front of his grandfather's photo, and the tears still in his eyes.

"No, it's fine Spud, what's up?" Jake choked, as he wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up to face him.

Spud had changed since they were teens, but not as much as Trixie. He still wore pretty plain clothes, but he'd matured quite a bit after taking on his new responsibilities. Instead of slouching, he stood upright, and had his shoulders back. He'd taken over Lao Shi's shop after his death, by the request of Jake. Although, the shop wasn't selling electronics anymore, it was being used as a command center for the Dragon Clan. Spud acted as a messenger between the remaining dragons across the world, relaying Jake's orders, and bring news back to Jake. Spud also started revealing his more intelligent side to help the dragons win the war.

"There was a battle in the Caribbean Sea" Spud began 'We lost, badly, but Gregory was able to escape with his life."

"What about the mermaid soldiers?" Jake asked.

"Almost all of them died." Spud breathed.

For a year now, Jake received these war reports from Spud. He'd gotten used to hearing about the thousands of magical creatures that died to help his side win. He was, however, glad to hear that his cousin made it out alive. They couldn't afford to lose another dragon.

The war had been going badly almost from the start. Pandarus had moved out of New York long before the war had started, and moved to his private island off the coast of Hong Kong. From there, he sent dozens of magical troops to conquer territories controlled by the remaining dragons. Most of the battles that ensued resulted in crushing defeat for Jake's side, formally known as the Dragon Clan. Pandarus had already won all of Asia, Africa, most of Europe, and parts of South America. He had a seemingly unlimited number of soldiers to march into battle, and there were few species on Jake's side that could actually fight.

Because of this, Jake was forced to send all the younger, less experienced dragons to fight, giving each an area to protect. Once the war started, Jake sent Haley, along with the rest of his family, to live in Australia, where he thought they would be safer. She was now acting as the Australian Dragon. Haley was fighting incredibly well, but Jake knew it would only be a matter of time before Pandarus would overwhelm her.

"Hey" a soothing voice said.

Rose casually stepped into the same room as the boys. She had a slight limp, but other than that, you could hardly tell she'd been shot. I'd been two days since the incident in the forest, but this was the first time Jake had seen her walking.

"Rose!" Jake exclaimed with joy. He ran over to his wife and locked lips. This was just the thing he needed today, some good news.

"Trixie said I'd be okay, but I that I should keep pressure off of it." Rose said, cheerfully.

"That's great!" Jake said "Hey, Spud. Would you mind giving us some space for a moment? We need to talk in private."

"Sure Jake, just tell me if you need something." And with that, Spud left the room. Now that he was gone, Jake could get on to more pressing matters.

"Rose, we need to talk." Jake said, with a very serious tone.

"Okay, sure." Rose wondered why Jake seemed so serious, shouldn't he be happy that his wife is okay?

"Rose, I've not really wanted to say this to anyone but" Jake admitted, while making sure no one else was around. "But, things aren't going well, you know it, and I know it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're going to lose. Pandarus will win this war unless we do something. We have a child now Rose, we have to make sure he survives."

Rose took a minute to absorb Jake's words. He was right, she knew that the Dragon Clan would lose the war if things continued the way they had been. She also didn't want to think about the Huntsclan resurfacing. Rose sighed as she took a step back from her husband.

"You're right Jake, but what do we do? There's no where left on Earth to go. We have to just hold on until things get better, and please don't talk like we're all going to die."

"What do you think is going to happen if Pandarus wins? He already killed most of the dragons in the world! I don't think one more dragon and his family will lose him any sleep!" Jake said, starting to raise his voice to a shout.

"Jacob! I love you, but you can't say things like that! Things will get better, we just have to hang in here and-"

"Get better!? Rose, that's bullshit and we both know it! I don't know if we can still save ourselves, but we need to save our son, no matter what the cost!"

Rose began to tear up. She'd finally accepted the situation for what it was, but she knew her husband was right, they had to save their son. The Huntsclan had already found out about him. It wasn't safe for him in New York.

"What do we do?" Rose said, half speaking, half choking on her words.

Jake threw his arms around his wife to comfort her. Her skin was warm against his own.

"I need you to do something for me. It's a long shot, but it just might work. You have to do it alone though, it's the only way we can save our son."

"What?" Rose asked.

"I need you to visit an old friend."


	4. Chapter 4: The English Barrier

**A/N: Hope you enjoy! I'll be taking some time off before writing more, so make sure you follow to keep up on new chapters! :D**

* * *

><p>"Ms. Rose, what a pleasant surprise." the finely dressed wizard said.<p>

"Hello, Lord Thrall" replied Rose.

"Please, come inside."

Nigel guided Rose through his castle estate to a lavishly decorated room behind large double doors. There were enormous windows that stretched all the way to the ceiling. The last bit of twilight filled into the room with a brilliant aura. The marble floors were so clean that someone's reflection would seem to be the real thing.

A small fire produced the main source of light in the room, along with a few candles. A large portrait of Merlin hung above the fireplace mantle, and a host of expensive furniture items laid about. On the opposite end of the room, there was a small table with a classic English tea set.

"Please, take a seat anywhere you choose." said Nigel, as he strolled over to the tea set and began pouring liquid into a cup. Rose sat on a comfortable red couch with golden trimmings. When Nigel finished pouring the cup of tea, he walked over to Rose and handed it to her.

"Here" he said, "It's a special brew, passed down through my family for generations." He noticed the concerned look upon Rose's face. "Oh, don't worry. There's nothing magical in it, you won't grow horns or anything like that." he reassured her. "Now tell me, Ms. Rose-"

"It's Mrs. Long, if you don't mind." Rose interjected.

"Ah, of course. I would probably do well to remember the name change that started a war. Not to mention the name that leads the Dragon Clan."

Rose didn't respond to Nigel's comments. She didn't come to discuss the starting of the war, she came to discuss the end.

"Anyway, as I was saying, where is your husband? Surely you didn't come here on your own." asked Nigel, as if he actually cared.

"Jake is attending to other matters. He dropped me off to talk to you."

"Hmm. What a poor husband to leave his wife in the middle of the English Channel." Nigel returned to the tea set to pour himself a cup.

Nigel resided on a small island in the English Channel, off the south coast of Wales. Waves crashed on the the rocky shores of his home all day, and all night long. There were no beaches, only jagged rocks that protected the perimeter of the island.

"Lord Thrall, I think you know what I came to discuss." Rose said as she grew impatient. She never appreciated pleasantries.

"My dear, I do enjoy my title, but it doesn't suit you at all. Please, call me Nigel." the wizard insisted, as he began to pour the tea into his cup.

'The hell with this, I'm not getting anywhere' Rose thought

"Nigel, you need to enter the war." Rose said calmly.

Nigel appeared unphased by the question. He already expected it to come up at one point or another.

"And why, my dear, would I do such a silly thing like that?" Nigel didn't break his gaze from the cup of tea. He'd just finished pouring it, and placed the pot from which he poured back to its place.

"Because, we're losing. We need you Nigel, your powers could help turn the tide of the war."

Nigel let out a long sigh as he took a seat opposite of Rose. He took a sip of tea, and sat the cup on a small table. "I told your husband that I would do no such thing. I also warned Jacob that his actions would spark a war, and did he listen? No, he did not. So I think it's only right that I abstain from this bloodshed, along with the rest of my territory."

At the start of the war, almost all the world's dragons were murdered. As such, there were areas of the world without a Dragon Protector. According to magical law, if a magical province doesn't have a Dragon Protector, then the responsibilities are given to a replacement. The law also states that wizards are the first in line to be this replacement. And so, Nigel Thrall was made the Magical Protector of England, earning him the title of 'Lord Thrall'. Instead of entering the war, however, he decided to keep England out of the struggle.

"England is the last place on Earth free from this violence. Free from magical creatures slaughtering each other for the sake of power, and I intend to keep it that way. Here, all creatures of magic live in peace." Nigel reached over and grabbed his tea. He then took a very long gulp and continued. "Plus, even if I _wanted_ to join the war, who said it would be on your side?"

"Because you know we're right."

"Do I now? If I recall, this whole thing would have been avoided if Jacob had only listened to me. Both of you are the cause of this war."

"You know that's not true, Nigel."

"Oh, but isn't it?" Nigel's voice began to rise ever slightly. "I told you that a dragon and a Slayer marrying would never be accepted in the eyes of the magical community."

"But the Dragon Council ruled that my actions against the Dark Dragon outweighed my background as a Slayer."

Nigel now scooted to the end of his seat, and leaned in towards Rose. "Precisely, and what was the result? Outrage, shock, and distrust throughout the magical world! The other creatures began to see the American Dragon as corrupt, letting a Slayer marry a Dragon Protector. It was absurd, at least in their eyes. They thought maybe Jacob was plotting against them..."

"But you don't believe that, do you?" Rose pressed. She needed to know if Nigel really held a grudge against them.

"No. No, of course not. However, I do believe that you two should have put the welfare of the entire magical community, _before_ your own selfish desires."

"Fine, but even then, you know what'll happen if Pandarus wins the war, don't you? Surely you can't think that's better."

"I don't think it's better, but I don't know if I trust Jacob any more than Pandarus."

"You two used to be friends!"

"Exactly, used to. After Mr. Long exiled me back to Europe, that all ended. Plus, middle school was many years ago."

Before the war started, Nigel had helped Jake during many of his magical adventures. However, when Nigel started using forbidden artifacts for his own personal gain, Jake exiled him from the US.

"Nigel, please. You have to help us, it's the only way we can win." Rose said, with less power, and more plea.

Nigel, again, let out a long sigh. Then, he gulped some more of his tea. While still holding the cup in his hand, he replied. "I'm going to be honest here. Even if I _did _help you, I don't think we could win the war. You simply don't have enough dragons to fight your-"

"We have a son, Jake and I" Rose interrupted with aggression.

Nigel slammed his tea cup onto the table. It hit with a loud _thud._

"You what?!" His voice was a hissed whisper, with a lot of hostility.

"You heard me. We have a son."

"Is he magical? I mean, is he a dragon?"

Rose slowly nodded her head.

Nigel sat back in his seat."The only reason Pandarus is winning, is because you don't have enough real dragons. Pandarus was wise to kill almost all of them at the start. Another dragon could easily win you the war."

Nigel's eyes had widened, but then calmness returned to his face as he spoke again.

"But not like it matters. It would take years to train him, assuming that he would live that long. By the time he's ready to fight, you'll have long since lost the war."

"But Nigel" Rose began, her voice was much softer. She'd lost all the tension in it."I know there's a way to win, and you know it too."

Nigel glared a Rose with a dark tone. His face turned sour, as he stood up and slowly walked to one of the massive windows. He stared at the sea through the glass, with his back turned to Rose. The moon was now high in the night sky. It illuminated the waves crashing into the rocks of Nigel's island home. When he spoke, he sounded like a completely different person. Like someone burdened with a task they couldn't fulfill. Now, Rose was listening to Lord Thrall, instead of Nigel.

"Did you know that England is the home of wizards?" Nigel said, still keeping his back to Rose.

"No, I didn't" Rose conceded.

"Well then, perhaps it's time for a little magic history lesson." declared Nigel. "First of all, this isn't the first war in the history of the magical world, in fact, it's not even close." the wizard turned his attention back to Rose for a brief second, and then back to the window once more.

"If fact" he continued "there's been more wars between dragons and wizards than any other two magical races. The two groups naturally hate each other, and are always fighting for the right to lead the magical world. The most recent, and decisive of these wars occurred during the time of Merlin." Nigel turned his to view the portrait above the fireplace. He gazed upon it in deep awe and respect. "The dragons were crushing the wizards in battle after battle. They forced my ancestors back to their homeland, England. At this time, Merlin was the leader of the wizards, and the most powerful of them all. To prevent the dragons from invading the shores of England, he casted a powerful spell upon the entire country. This spell prevented any enemy of Merlin from setting a single foot on English soil, or a single wing in English air. For generations, one wizard would give up all of his magical power to keep the barrier active." Nigel hinted. "Needless to say, the dragons couldn't enter England, and therefore, couldn't win the war. So they made a deal with the wizards."

"And that was?" Rose inquired.

"They made a deal that dragons would be the ruling race of the magical world, however, wizards could still keep the barrier up, but once the war was over, wizards had no enemies, and the dragons could pass through. So, the legend of the English Barrier was forgotten." Nigel said, as he resumed his gaze at the sea.

"What about this barrier, does it still exist?" Rose asked.

Nigel took a moment to choose just the right words. Never in the history of the magical community had anyone, who was not a wizard, heard about this barrier since the war between the dragons and wizards hundreds of years ago. "Yes, it does" Nigel admitted. "And if you haven't guess it by now, I was, and am the wizard responsible for keeping it strong, even before the war."

"Are you saying tha-"

"Yes, that's why I can't fight in the war with you. I'm using all of my magical powers to protect England with this barrier." Nigel disclosed, with a hint of regret. "But, I'm not a fool. As soon as this war started, I made sure that those I didn't trust would be unable to pass through. Including Pandarus."

"But Pandarus is a wizard, why can't he just pass through the barrier, or at least, why didn't he use it against you?" Rose asked.

"Only direct descendants of Merlin can channel the power the controlls the barrier, and it just so happens that I'm one such descendant, and Pandarus is not."

Rose sat and thought about this. As it turned out, Nigel really did oppose Pandarus this whole time. This was great news for her, but did it really mean he would help them? Another thought popped into Rose's head.

"Jake took me here, to this island. Does that mean you trust him, or does the barrier end here?" she asked.

A small smile appeared on Nigel's face. He was glad that Rose finally figured things out. "The barrier ends at this island, but it does include it. Although Jacob and I have our differences, I've always trusted him, and that's why I want him to win the war."

Nigel turned his attention to Rose, and intently met eyes with her.

"Which brings me to the reason I told you about this Legend. If your son becomes old enough to master his training, he'll win you the war. That much is certain." he avowed. "However, I wasn't joking about what I said earlier. You_ will _lose the war before that happens, but if you could find a way to extend the war long enough for your son to train, you will win. It's possible to create another barrier like the one over my territory, however, you will need a great source of magical energy to power it. If you had such a source, you could create a barrier around New York City. Then, Pandarus wouldn't be able to touch you."

Rose's heart began racing. This was the information she wanted to hear. If Nigel was being truthful, then she just found a way to save her son, and Jake.

"What do we need!?" she cried.

"Like I said, a magical source. On top of that, this spell needs a home. Somewhere for the magical essence to be stored. For example, the spell that protects England is stored at Stonehenge. If anyone could destroy the spell at the source, it would be broken. If you can meet these two requirements, than I can help you cast the spell. Then, your son will remain safe, for awhile anyways."

Rose's mind raced with thoughts. Where would they find a magical power source equal to a wizard? Where would they store this spell? There were so many things that could go wrong.

If Pandarus won the war, her husband, her son, and not to mention herself, would be killed.

What other choice did she have?

"We'll find a way, thank you Nigel."


	5. Chapter 5: Preparation

**-[ Twelve Years Later ]-**

"Focus Lao. Deep breaths."

"I know dad, you don't have to tell me."

"Fine, ready...go!"

Lao spread his wings and took to the air. He flew towards his target with extreme speed as his hands formed into a fist. The dragon came down and smashed his target, sending its remains everywhere.

"On your left!"

Lao spun and shot a blast of fire at an enemy, setting it ablaze.

"Behind you!"

The dragon used his tail to whip another foe to the ground. Seeing all enemies defeated, he turned to his father and smiled.

"How's that?" he asked with a wide grin.

Jake Long looked down at his stop watch. A crease formed at his forehead.

"One second slower than last time Lao, and your form was sloppy." he said.

The teenager sighed as blue particles surrounded him. The blue dragon turned back into his scrawny human form. He casually stepped over the broken and burning pieces of his cardboard targets shaped like goblins.

"Seriously? Dad, I did fine." he replied.

"Fine? One second could mean the difference between life and death Lao! Not just for you, but for everyone who looks to dragons for protection! Does that sound like_ fine_ to you?"

Lao shifted his head towards the ground. He awkwardly shuffled his feet at his father's words.

"No...I guess not." he said.

"Good. Even though it's dark, we shouldn't be training any longer than needed. I don't care how you get home, just don't get caught, okay?"

"Yeah dad, I won't."

"Good, and be home by dinner, your mom made spaghetti."

The green haired adult sprouted wings and scales as he turned into his true form. He took flight into the night sky, leaving his son alone.

Lao sat down on the cool forest outside of New York City. From here he could see the beautiful skyscrapers and city lights, but he couldn't appreciate them. His dad stepped up training significantly in the last few months. No matter how hard he tried, everything was wrong. He knew his dad was only trying to protect him, but Lao wished he wasn't so difficult to work with.

The forest felt calming to the teenager as he gathered his thoughts. His mom always told stories of how she carried him back to New York City when he was only an infant, and how she almost died while doing so. It was hard to believe that his dad would use the same forest for training.

Lao transformed his right hand into a claw. He studied the blue scales that appeared, and silently wished he was never born a dragon. The responsibilities, duties, and training were all too much. He wondered how his dad could ever do it. The teen just wanted to be normal.

The watch on Lao's human hand told him that it was almost eight. He decided it was best to go home. His father was right to be excited about spaghetti. He also knew keeping his dad waiting would be a huge mistake.

With a quick flash the dragon revealed his full form. He let the cool breeze come underneath his wings to take him back home, to New York City.

Lao landed on the sidewalk next to his house and quickly changed back into his human body. He knew his father would scold him for flying so far into the city, but he didn't care. Lao was just ready for some good food, and his mom was the best spaghetti cook in all the five boroughs. The teen gently opened the door and walked inside.

Rose was already setting the table for dinner when she noticed her son step inside.

"Lao" she said "how was training?"

"It was okay, I guess."

"Where's your father? You know how much he likes spaghetti." she asked.

"I don't know, he left before I did. You mean he isn't home?"

Rose frowned, and her eyes gave a sense of worry. "No, but I'm sure he probably just went to check on some things." she reassured herself.

"Yeah, probably" the teen admitted.

Lao sat down at the table. The smells of a freshly cooked meal filled his nostrils. To any normal human the fumes would be heavenly. To dragons and their keen senses, they were irresistible.

The door flung open as Jake stepped inside. His pupils radiated a bright glow of fire, the sign of a very upset dragon. Lao knew this expression all too well. It usually meant Lao had done something seriously wrong, or that something happened that wasn't good.

"Jake" Rose began "is something wrong?"

Lao's father walked over to his wife and kissed her. "No dear" he replied "everything's fine. Let's eat."

They all knew that was a lie.

Jake sat down at the table, eager to dig in. Rose served the hungry beasts her finest dish, and took her own place at the table. The family laughed as they shared stories of their day. Lao had always been at odds with his father, especially when they started training, but now they couldn't be closer. Lao only wished this moment could last forever.

When they were done eating everyone helped clean up. When they were done, Jake turned to his son.

"Lao, will you go upstairs please? Your mother and I have something to discuss." he said.

Lao could see it again. The look in his dad's eyes.

"C'mon dad, is this about the war? You said I'd have to help at one point or another, why can't I listen in? I'm a dragon just like you." Lao pleaded.

"Lao. You aren't ready yet. To your room. Now."

The teen sighed in defeat as he went upstairs. He never understood why his family couldn't trust him with simple information. All he knew about the war was that it existed, and that he would have to fight in it someday. Other than that, he had no idea who was winning. Why couldn't his own father inform him? Anger raged inside of Lao's body. As he reached out to grab the door knob to his room, he stopped himself. He decided that this time he would do something. Lao slowly crept to the bottom of the stairwell, careful not to make any noise.

"Ear of the dragon." he commanded.

Lao could hear the discussion between his two parents. It sounded more like an argument.

"That's impossible!" his mother exclaimed "Yorkshire?"

"Spud says Pandarus will be in London within the month. Nigel is requesting immediate reinforcements." Jake conceded.

"What about the barrier?"

"I have no idea Rose."

"We have to help him Jake! Nigel is on our side, right?"

"Rose" Jake sighed "I'd like to help him, but we don't have enough troops, and all the dragons in the world are still incognito in their territories."

"So there's nothing we can do?" Rose cried.

"There is one thing…"

A horrible chill went up Lao's spine. He wished he'd never listened in.

"No! I'm not going to send our thirteen year old son to war!"

"Rose, its the only way. You know dragons can't leave their territories for an extended time. Nigel will look after him, I promise. Without a dragon, England will fall. Nigel is one of the last allies we have."

Rose gave no response. Lao could hear her gentle sobs suddenly muffled as his father embraced her in his arms.

Lao felt sick. He ran back up to his room, went inside, and slammed the door behind him. He slumped against the wall and began forming tears at his eyes. How could his parents want to send him to fight a war? He'd just started training a year ago. Not to mention he was just starting to get some solid friends in school. His life was starting to get better, and now this? Lao had developed a newfound hate for his father. Was he only born to be a good soldier for his dad?

There was a knock at the door. The gruff voice of his father broke through.

"Lao, we need to talk."


End file.
